Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to ATLUS. Touhou Project belongs to Zun. I have no ownership of the copyrights of either series in any way.
Chapter 12: Lost in the Woods
It was a regal mansion. Its halls were decorated in the most fine furniture and décor. All of it was miraculously clean and tidy; immaculate. One could almost say that it was kept perfectly intact. It was like I was in some sort of period piece from Europe or something. My view shifted a bit and I found myself looking at what looked to be a dining room. At the table was a young girl who wore what looked to be night clothes with a simple cap on her head. It was mostly pink in color. The cap also had a red bow on it. The colors of her clothes were greatly contrasted by her pale blue hair, while being complimented by… her… red eyes… and are those bat wings? A vampire? …Wouldn't be too far out there I guess. Anyways, she was drinking tea at a noble's pace which fit the scenery she was in.
This dream, my gaze, then took focus on the one standing next to her. It was the maid that I had seen at the party that time. She still looked just as she did before. Her maid's outfit looked much like Ruukoto's, save for the difference of skirt length and stockings. Her silver hair was neat and tidy. Her eyes were closed, most likely to allow her master to enjoy her moment. A perfect, elegant maid, would perhaps describe her best.
The two were discussing something, planning something. I couldn't hear just what it was. Though I suppose I would wager that I will soon find out.
Break
Now I could see night. It was fairly normal. The moon was still a waning gibbous. The focus this time was… on a yakitori stand? Well anyways, there was a single person in this dream. I'm going to guess this one was a girl. I'm not entirely sure seeing as this one was wearing pants in a place who's technological level was not exactly too high. That means girls wearing pants are going to be exceedingly rare.
Besides that though, she had long white hair that reached her feet. At the top was a bow with red patterns on it that looked like a charm… in fact she had these stickered all over her red overall pants and more were tied at about the half-way point of her long hair. Her shirt looked to be a burgundy western dress shirt, though it was hard to tell in this lighting. She was sitting on the owner's side of the stand with her hands in her pockets. It looked like she was waiting for something. I wonder what she is waiting for. I wonder where this person is…
Break
"I'm lost." I'm really lost. Only now do I realize just how easy it is to get lost in the Forest of Magic.
"Today I want you to go into the forest of magic and find something that I've hidden in there. You are to use Beijing to help look for it. Don't bother coming back until you've found it. I won't let you back into the house. I'll teach you a few techniques before you get going, but once were done, you're out." Alice then began to finish up the last of her tea.
"Right… that's why I'm out here." I came out for training… though I'm not entirely sure how or why this pertains to firing bullets and dodging bullets.
Currently, I was having Beijing just fly around and trying to see through her eyes while also looking through the forest to see if I can find anything. So far, nothing was coming up, though I had to admit this was some good practice for control. Still, if I don't find it by the end of the day, I'm going to starve, and that's no good. I don't like things that are no good either, so this is important in more ways than one, even though the relevance to my previous training is somewhat suspect.
"Hey, Beijing? Don't fly around so much!" Why am I talking to my doll? I mean, yeah I was sending it out and about a little hectically, but that's just it. I'm the one sending it around. Beijing has no sentience, other than what I pretend to give it… I guess I'm just lonely. Then again, all alone, no one else around; I guess I would go mad.
"Just what is it I'm supposed to find anyways?" Alice wasn't specific in the slightest. In fact, she was as vague as can be. She made no hint or notion of what I'm supposed to be looking for. The only one that was a semblance of a direction, I guess, was to use my doll. That's like saying use my eyes!
"This is getting me nowhere. I guess I should just pick a direction and go with it." I can just use a trafuri if I get too lost anyways. "Left hasn't let me down yet." I decided to go right. Right might surprise me. "Tally ho… or something like that…" maybe hee-ho?
Break
"This forest just doesn't end!" I've been out here for 3 hours straight, just walking in a single direction. I thought I was bound to hit something, anything. At least find a landmark of some sort, considering that I was sending Beijing around to look for something. All I've managed to find are some weirdly colored red with white spotted mushrooms with black lines on their stalks that looked like eyes. At this rate, finding whatever it is Alice wants me to find is going to take more than a week. It might take two, or even perhaps seven. And if I so much as see another- is that a clearing? Oh Thanatos, it's something that's not covered in trees. The best recourse would probably be to head to the clearing. I can get some rest there and have a better view of my surroundings. Sounds like a plan to me.
I recall Beijing and have her nestle in my coat before heading over to the clearing. As I near it I found something interesting. It's certainly not what Alice wanted me to look for, but I'm not too shocked to find it. It was another house.
"Huh?" There was a single person lazing about on the window just looking out dreamily. She noticed me and, as she perked up, began to wave. "Yo! Didn't actually think ya'd take me up on my offer!" Marisa was as energetic as ever, though she didn't have her hat on. She did say that she lived in the forest too after all.
"So this is where you set up shop?" She's lives quite deep in the forest.
"How did ya know I run a Magic goods shop?" Marisa asked, amused.
"Uh… it was a figure of speech… sort of."
"Haha! Is that so? Well don't just stand and stare. Come on in, ze!" Marisa hopped off of where she was sitting and ran somewhere inside her house. Her house looked fairly normal… though there was this weird sense of dread I was getting. The phrase 'Trash of the Titans' just kept running through my mind. Regardless, Marisa opened her door. "Welcome to my humble Abode," she said while making a grand gesture to welcome me in.
"I'm coming in." It's just the customary thing to say… I was expecting this to be messier than it was now. It didn't really look much like a shop, more like a bunch of things strewn about and a counter that had a register on it in a corner. Overall, I don't know why I was expecting this place to be much worse, but hey, it could be that much worse.
"Take a seat anywhere, ze! I'll be back with something to drink." Marisa left me to my own devices. This pile looks good. Looks nice and comfy… yeah it is. It's very soft.
"So do you wanna swig of Mushroom juice?" Marisa asked from the kitchen.
"Um… no. I'll just take tea if that's alright."
"Suit yourself. You're really missing out though. So what makes you swing around to my neck of the woods? A little lady like me can get pretty suspicious of a guy just poppin' by all of a sudden." Marisa asked me.
"Alice just sent me out to look for something for my training. Said it's supposed to help me or something like that. She was pretty obtuse about it."
"Alice's always pretty roundabout ain't she?" I could hear some running water coming from the kitchen.
"I wouldn't know that." I've only known her for about three days.
"Well trust me, she can be. Any who, she ain't working you to death is she?"
"Not really, she's actually been very well paced. She's strict, but she knows moderation."
"Huh… never knew that," Marisa said.
"So just what do you sell anyways?"
"Oh, this and that. I don't really keep a consistent stock. I just put what I think will sell up for people to see and just wait." That seems to corroborate what I saw of the shop.
"That's some pretty bad business sense." Actually this entire operation would probably be an entrepreneur's nightmare.
"Meh, it's more of a side thing, you know? Most of my money comes from taking Reimu's Jobs when she's not around." That's interesting.
"So you're a thief in more ways than one?"
"Hey, whatever gets me food, I won't complain." It's not you who should be complaining in the first place though. "Besides, Reimu's too lazy to take on all the jobs." I can't say that that would be entirely implausible. "Do you not like thieves?" That's an odd question… but…
"I thought you were a borrower?" I quipped at her. I could hear her jump in the kitchen.
"Oh crap! Uh, I mean…"
"I'm just messing with you Marisa." I can't help it sometimes.
"Jeez. Maybe I should just throw out this tea then."
"It's your money you'd be throwing out."
"Tch, got me there, ze! Eh…Tea's almost done. Got anything else for small talk before it's finished?"… Maybe I should ask.
"So why did you want to duel me anyways?"
"Oh crap!"
"Marisa? Are you okay?" That sounded bad.
"Sorry, I just remembered that we didn't settle on what our duel was going to be like."
"What does that mean?" I mean how many things do you need to remember for a duel? Two things: dudes, and swords. It's not that complicated… oh wait that was Miyamoto Musashi.
"What I mean is how many lives and spell cards we can use." Oh.
"Hmm… well… I … this will only be my second duel, so what do you think will be a good number?"
"I don't know. Most duels I'm in are sort of spur of the moment. It's the first time I've ever been in one where there was a delay like the one here." Marisa seemed ponderous. A whistling noise could be heard from the kitchen now. "Well, we can just figure it out over tea, and mushrooms." A few clanks could be heard; probably from kitchen ware.
Moments later she came out with a plate with my tea and her mushroom drink on it. She began to walk out, when she suddenly froze, dropping the plate onto the floor…
"Um… Marisa? Is everyth-"
"Get off that pile!" She then made a beeline straight for me.
"Whoa!" I didn't expect the sudden burst in speed as she came at me like a rocket, tackling me in the process. "Oomph!" I got out as she and I impacted with a *SLAM*. I also in the process kicked up the pile of… I opened my eyes to find that in my hands was a … pair of bloomers… oh… I think this is-
"Eeeeek! No!" She yanked the undergarment from out of my hands. I took a closer look at the girl to find that, for the first time, she looked genuinely embarrassed. Flushed face, a frown, tears; she was trying to scrounge her dirty laundry as best she could. I tried to help but then she said, "Don't! Please, don't…" Right… Amongst the sounds of her picking her… unmentionables up, I could hear sniffles and a whisper: "… why did it have to happen now?"
Break
"Um… can you please come back in a little bit…? I… well… please don't tell anyone about this… Just come back a little later." It was the first time I had seen Marisa so vulnerable and meek. For all her tomboyish tendencies, boisterousness, and confidence, even she breaks down when her underwear is there for a guy to see. Currently, I was standing outside of the door to her home. She pushed me out, not that I could blame her.
"I won't tell anyone."
"… Thanks…" was what she let out before she closed the door to her home. "I'll let you back in when I'm done, ze." I could hear from the other side.
"I'll just go through the forest some more. I still need to find something anyways."
"Bye…"Marisa is feeling really down. I have no idea why. It made more sense when Yukari just slapped me upside the head that one night. It hurt, but it made sense.
"See ya." I said, hoping that she would hear my behind her door. I really do have to get going… huh? … Um… well… okay…? I went back and knocked on her door. "Marisa… you forgot…" The door quickly snapped open and snapped back closed, the last of her items gone from my possession… I guess even she's quick to protect her secret things…
I made my way out of Marisa's clearing and back into the forest. This time, I was keeping Beijing in my pocket… because I felt like it? I guess that's good enough of an explanation for me. Not everything needs to be explained. The Forest of Magic is really like a maze in some ways. There really isn't any tree that makes a definite impact. No landmarks to speak of or much wildlife to see. This is a pretty boring forest now that I think of it. At least there wasn't anything too distracting around here.
I wonder how Reimu and Ruukoto are doing… for that matter, I'm surprised that… no, not going there. It's bad juju if I go there. I can at least say that I've met a surprisingly low amount of youkai other than… well just surprised that I really haven't seen many youkai despite Gensokyo being a haven for them, be that as it were… maybe…
"HELLO!? IS ANYONE THERE?"… Who am I kidding? Why would there be anyone in this forest to begin with? I'm pretty much the only person here who has a reason to be here… which is why I'm here in the first place…I need to think better.
"Jeez, that's quite a shout kid. Though, what are you doing all alone in this big bad forest?" Huh!? I made a quick turn around and up the trees to find the source of the unknown voice I had heard. As expected, the voice was from a girl. The girl in question, who was sitting on tree branch looking down at me, had pitched black short hair. Her one piece dress was black with a blue white frill collar, tied with a red bow tie. She wore thigh high stockings (grade A) with little dainty red shoes at the bottom that also had red bows. She had weird wing like structures attached to her back, though those probably are wings. On her right, they were red in color and angular with an o-shape at the turn and pointed at the end. Her left side was blue, wavy, and ended in a devil tail like point. In her hand was a trident that was wrapped with… a snake…
"It's quite impolite to stare," the mystery youkai told me.
"I could say the same to you. What's a girl like you wandering around a forest like this?" I know she's a youkai, but she's still a girl. Her eyes widened for a moment before she then began to look at herself frantically. She then turned back to me, seething with anger.
"How can you see my true form!? I have a Seed of Unknown form on right now. You should be seeing me as a ball of light, or a bird." She began to frantically look at herself as if she were looking for a missing accessory or something.
"Are you high?" There are a lot of mushrooms around to be honest.
"How could I let a human see my true form? This is not a good day," the youkai lamented.
"I'd say it's more neutral than anything else." The youkai turned ominously at my reply.
"Be quiet. It looks like I'll have to make sure you won't be able to tell anyone about this." All of a sudden her trident began to glow at the tips. Oh crap. My evoker… okay good, got it. "Oh, is that a gun? I've heard of those from Mami, but I didn't think there'd be one in Gensokyo. This might actually be interesting then." She pointed her trident at me. *Bang* "Not even an inch, not like I was aiming at you though." I could hear a sizzle of some sort coming from behind me.
"Quite a hot shot."
"Cute. It's so cute in fact, that I think I'll try not to miss you this time." Guess this is my PUNishment… damn it.
"Sorry, but I like his cute face the way it is, thank you very much." Huh? A third voice suddenly rang out and the mystery youkai and I turned to where the voice was. Oh!
"I haven't seen you in a while, Mima," I greeted the phantom who was floating above, a confident smirk painted across her face.
"I'm flattered you remember me, though I expected nothing less. People tend to remember greatness after all." Still as smug as ever I see. Her arms crossed as she looked to revel in whatever pride spell she was having. It lasted for only a moment though.
"If you would be so kind, could you leave? My business is with him," The youkai snarled at Mima while re-raising her trident at me. Mima turned to face the Youkai directly, her expression twisting. At the end, her face was like that of a sadist about to punish her masochist partner.
"Oh? If it's a fight you want-" Mima paused and put her hand out in front of her. The air above her open palm began to swirl and distort as if it were hot and in only a second a flash sparked. In her hand was an orb of pure, raw energy, pulsing like a heartbeat. That is some serious power. It almost feels like the almighty element. "-then I wonder if you'll be so kind as to have me as your partner." Her voice sounded distorted as she pronounced the words. It sounded inhuman. The Youkai stared without expression at Mima for a few moments before lowering her weapon, and sighing.
"Too much trouble. I was only kidding when I said I was going to hit him." The Youkai placed her hands behind her head and began to swing left and right listlessly.
"Awww, and here I was hoping to play around for a bit." Mima clenched her hand into a fist and the orb of power immediately dissipated. She then looked at me for second, probably to be sure of my safety, and then returned her gaze to the Youkai.
"If nothing is going to happen then this is just a bore. I'll find something else to do. What was that rumor in the human village again?" The mystery Youkai began to float up with very little spring in her step. She tilted her head and gaze in my direction. "Hey, kid!" I think she's referring to me. "The name's Nue Houjuu. What's yours?"
"Minato Arisato," I told her.
"Not a bad name. I'll see you around, Mi-kun." And in a second, she righted herself and flew off in a flash before I got to say good-bye. Nue Houjuu… Nue… isn't that the chimera?
"Finally, she's gone." Oh right, Mima's still here. "Long time no see, Minato-kun."
"Same."
"A man of few words I see. We never really had much of a conversation the first time we met, though I still have to thank you for getting me out of the shrine." She gave me a grin as she recounted our first meeting.
"I'm not sure that's a good thing."
"Well I'd hope not. I'm an evil spirit after all. Good is far from what I would want to do." That sounds bad. Mima floated down from where she was and took a position about a third of a meter in front of me. "Much better, it's easier to hear you from here. You're quite a quiet person."
"I've been told that." I think. "So why are you out here in the forest?" This forest really isn't the kind that looks like it'd be haunted. I could be wrong though.
"Oh, just checking up on someone." Mima looked distant as she said it… though I'm surprised that she even has someone to check up on in the first place. "What are you looking at? Even I have people I care about." I guess that's true. Everyone does have at least one thing or person they care about, even a (supposedly) evil spirit.
*CRACK*
Thou art I… And I am thou…
Thou hast tempered your bond…
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou chooses
To create a Persona of the Hunger Arcana…
I almost forgot that I had a Social Link with her. I learned something new today from her. I guess just knowing that does make me feel closer to her, even in the smallest of capacities.
"So what are you doing in the Forest of Magic, Minato-kun?" Mima asked me, probably in return for my question.
"Um… I'm training." I guess that's true.
"In what?" Mima pressed.
"Danmaku…"
"By wandering the forest?" Mima seemed suspicious of me. "That's odd. Who's teaching you?"
"Well I'm not really wandering so much as trying to find something, and it's Alice Margatroid."
"Alice… I see, any clue as to what you need to find then?" That was an odd pause at her name. Does she know Alice?
"None, she just said to use this little one." I had Beijing fly out of my pocket and bow to Mima.
"Oh, how nostalgic. You even had it bow too." Mima seemed to cheer at the presence of Beijing. "If this is the case," Mima turned to me and continued, "then perhaps what you're looking for is in Marisa's home."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Trust me, I'd know." She flashed her confident smile at me, but I could also sense warmth coming from it that I didn't feel before when she first showed up. It had… strength.
"I guess that's as good a place as any."
"I hope you find what it is you need to find. And make sure you don't get Marisa's panties in a twist this time, alright?" Huh!?
"You were watching?"
"Oh look at the time, I must be going. I have something else I must attend to. I'll see you again soon, Minato-kun." Mima flew off before I had the chance to say anything. Her speed and flight would make it impossible to catch up to even if I started now. Not even a few moments later, she was just a tiny dot in the sky. Marisa's house, huh? Well I was going to go back there anyways, so I guess that's not a bad place to look. She's probably done cleaning up by now. Wait, how did she know Marisa?
Break
"You're back, and just in time too, ze!" Marisa's chipper mood had returned. It was as if what happened before didn't actually happen.
"Yeah…" I was standing at her front door. It felt a tad awkward to be doing so. She then stepped aside to let me in. "I'm coming in." I say in a customary fashion. I take off my shoes as I enter and she closes the door behind me before rushing herself in front of me. She goes off and grabs a chair, setting it next to her bed. She then took a seat on her bed, raising her arm as if she were presenting the chair she just propped.
"Here, sit in this, ze!" I guess what happened before still lingers. I accept her suggestion readily.
"So where were we before… well where were we?" She's still a bit shaken I see.
"Well we were just about to talk about what would be a good number of hits and spell cards… I think." I remember that the most so I suppose that was the last thing we talked about.
"Oh yeah… I was thinkin' about that when I was cleaning. I guess seven of each is good enough," she exclaimed dismissively.
"Why seven?"
"Why not? I like the number. It means we can really let it rip!"
"Well, at least that's established…" Still though, why seven?
"Oh, do you think there's a better number then?"
"No, seven's fine. It's just that it's a lot more than my previous duel that had only three hits and cards."
"Ah, I getcha! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine!"
"You're confidence doesn't really assure me honestly." Especially considering that you're the one I'm dueling. Seven cards and hits, that's okay I guess, but I'm worried that it might drag on for too long. I suppose it will do as she has more experience than I do, but she also has more experience than I do and that could mean that she's taking advantage of my naiveté.
"Well, whatever. So was there anything else you wanted to talk about, or did you just want to see me," Marisa teased.
"I just wanted to see you."
"Bwah! I… uh, what? That is… you shouldn't say stuff like that. It really makes me… well... I don't know…" Marisa was havering like mad as her demeanor quickly changed from confident to squeamish. Her face was becoming reddish, and she also looked to be getting physically smaller somehow, though that's probably from her bunching herself up to cover for… something…
"Joking." Marisa wound up her fi- ouch! I guess that was expected.
"That's what you get for playing around like that, ze!" Marisa steamed. She was still red in the face. Curious though, she looked like she was genuinely hurt…
"Sorry, what I meant to say was, that I got a tip to come here to look for what I was looking for. I didn't mean to hurt you or anything."
"It's fine, but let that teach you a lesson for playing with my heart!" I thought she was going to say a girl's heart, but it's all the same either way. "Anyways, who gave you this tip, ze?"
"Do you know anyone named Mima?" I'll make it up to her by being honest.
"Mima-sama?" Sama? I've never heard her address anyone with such courtesy before.
"So… you do know her?"
"I guess you can say that. But if it's Mima-sama, then I guess we can look around the house…" She seemed to be thinking for a few seconds before she said, "On second thought, you stay there, I'll look for it." I can guess as to why she's saying that, but I'll be quiet for now on that subject.
"I'll just see what I can see from here then."
"That's fine, ze!" Marisa sped off to the rest of her house to find whatever it was that Alice left for me to find.
"Oh, I guess now's a perfect time to use it." The little blonde maid in my coat pocket answered my mental call. "Ready to do some search and find, Beijing?" The doll… I mean, I made the doll nod in response… in retrospect that seems pretty sad. I shook my head. No time to think like that. "Anyways, just go around and see what you can find." Beijing made another nod, and flew off. Now Alice told me that you can see through the eyes if you simply close yours and concentrate on the doll in question. Now's as good a time as any to test that out I suppose. Okay… and… got it.
Whoa… is that what I look like? I sort of forgot… I think I might need a haircut. Anyways, I first better see what I can in here. All looks normal… I guess, though the doll's perception is a bit on the odd side. Some things seem to glow… Actually I'm glowing as well. Most things are darkened a tad. They still have their color, but… maybe I'm seeing something different than usual. The visible light spectrum is pretty small after all. Magic could also be a valid explanation… never thought I'd say that anytime soon. Perhaps this was what Alice was hinting at. I guess I better investigate stuff that glows. Experience taught me that one.
Nothing in here besides me is glowing, I better move on elsewhere… well the doll anyways. I myself better just sit here, or else Marisa will… actually I'm not too sure on that front, but it's best not to ask for it. Okay… and out of the room. Okay, so this hallway… left… right… left… right…um… right… oh wait that's left… or is that… never mind. The hallway was fairly standard. Marisa managed to clean this place up quite nicely, at least when compared to what it was like before. Though I don't have to worry about trash on the ground now that I'm a… I mean, I am controlling a doll. Oh? One of the doors seemed to have a faint glow pouring out from the slit at the bottom. I suppose that's the door I'm looking for. I have Beijing turn the knob and begin to slide the door open whe-
"Ah! A doll? Alice, what are you doing here, ze?" Marisa? I think she's mistaken the doll to be Alice's… I guess that's not wrong in a way. I can't talk to her like this though. "Here to check-up on him or something?" I'm close… the glow is right there in that roo… oh it's a closet… so that's where all the trash went. Well, most of it anyways. Oh! The glow is coming from… another doll? Is this what Alice wanted me to find? Another doll? "Hey, stop ignoring me Alice, come on. Do some sign language or something, or maybe that, uh what was it again? Walkie talkie? Well that stuff from that time we went to hell." I better move. I have Beijing sit on the space next to the unknown doll. Before I returned to my own view though, I hear Marisa say, "Wait, what's this other doll doing in my clos-"
My perception returns to the room I was left in before… which upon further inspection I realize is actually Marisa's bedroom… and it's one of the first rooms in the house… I better leave that be and get going. It isn't long before I make it to the closet with Marisa holding both dolls curiously.
"Yo."
"Wah! Minato! I thought I told you to stay in that room, ze!" Marisa yelped.
"It felt uncomfortable being in a girl's bedroom. I didn't want to invade your privacy." True enough.
"Meh, I don't really keep my secret stuff in there," Marisa said with dismissal.
"Oh, then where do you keep it?"
"In the room over there, two doors… Hey!" Oh darn, looks like she caught on. "Stop with the tricks, ze!"
"Sorry, but it's just too easy."
"It is, isn't it?"
"I can see why you do it all the time Yukari. With people like this around, it's very easy to fall into doing it."
"Oi! Can't you use the door like normal people? Or knock, ze!" Marisa said, agitated by the sudden appearance of the gap Youkai. Yukari just smirked as she sat in her gap, umbrella closed and sitting on her lap. "And, you Minato, aren't you too easy going about her just showing up all of a sudden."
"That's right Minato. It's no fun if you don't get surprised." Yukari was trying to egg me on as always.
"I'm used to it I guess." I was sort of expecting it actually. "Anyways, I think I found what I needed to find, Marisa." I noticed Yukari pouting just a bit, best not to draw attention to that though.
"Oh? What is it?" Marisa asked, somewhat surprised.
"The dolls. I think the one in your closet is what Alice wanted me to find."
"Um… sure. I don't even know why there was one in my closet to begin with." Marisa stated as she handed the dolls over. I took control of Beijing to land in my pocket. The other one I simply held in my hand. I ran out of pockets… "Hey, you can use the dolls too, ze!"
"I see you've learned well enough in the short time that I was gone," Yukari noted.
"It's fun." It's something different that's for sure.
"And that ring is just lovely. Are you and Alice a thing now?" You just had to mention didn't you.
"What ring? Oh… wait I remember that! Alice used to wear it all the time way back when. Why did Alice give it to you though?" Marisa threw me an accusatory glare. Yukari was predictably amused at my predicament.
"It's a control ring. It's to help me control the dolls."
"I see… I didn't need that when she gave me the dolls to use though…" Marisa… seemed… well how do I put it… she seemed miffed at the very least.
"Well I'm still new to the use of magic so… I guess maybe that's why she had me use something to help out?" That sounds like a fair enough excuse. I'm used to using more combat oriented magic rather than this sort of thing.
"I suppose that's something." Marisa was still somewhat reluctant.
"Well if that's all, then I need to talk to Minato in private for something," Yukari butted in. I checked my MP3. It's a well into the afternoon. Actually it is getting pretty late.
"It's getting pretty late. I guess I should be going soon anyways," I told Marisa.
"Huh?" She took a look outside for a second to find the Sun at a low angle in the sky. "You're right… Hey! Why don't you stay over?" Marisa suggested.
"Marisa, it's not that late. And I am supposed to return to Alice to get more of the training done."
"Fine…" Marisa sounded… rejected… that's odd. Possible though…
"It's not like I'm choosing her over you, it's just that if I want to even have a chance during our duel, I'm going to have to take my training seriously. Who knows though, maybe some other day?"
"Hmm… that's not a bad idea." Marisa seemed to contemplate what I just said. The fact that she's even considering it though is… well it's not bad, but it is surprising.
"Excuse me."
"You're excused," I told Yukari.
"Funny, but I do have something I need to talk to you about Minato. We'll talk on the way?" Yukari then hopped out of her gap and held her umbrella in both hands. She then began to walk to where the door was.
"I'm not going to convince you otherwise." I doubt I'd be able to even if I used all the charm and charisma that I had. I soon followed her.
"I do like that about you. You catch on fast." Yukari teased as she gave a smile that curiously enough was neither sly nor devious… it was just normal.
"Um… I guess I'll go get the door, ze…" Marisa then rushed past us to get the door open, which she did with speed. I stopped when I got next to her.
"I'll see you in about a week then?"
"Yeah! I'll tell you later when I figure out where to have the duel." Oh right that wasn't really sorted out.
"How about the open field on the outskirts of the Human village? It's quite barren and could use a bit of character from use as a battle field," Yukari piped in with a pretty good suggestion.
"Actually that's not bad, ze! We'll take it!" Marisa then turned to me. "I guess maybe before lunch would be a good time too. We'll get the most people there at that time."
"Whatever." I don't really care about that.
"Well… okay…" Marisa seemed to be at a loss. Not really from shock or anything, but just from the fact that it seems hard to follow up on what I just said.
"I suppose that's it then. We should get going Minato. Take care Marisa." Yukari began to walk out into the forest.
"Bye."
"Okay, Don't be late for our duel Minato!" Marisa told me with her cocky smile having returned.
"I'll try not to." I make a wave with my hand as she makes her own and I follow Yukari into the forest.
Break
It was a few minutes into our walk before I decided to say anything.
"So just what was it that kept you? I was wondering where you were."
"Oh? Worried about me? That's so sweet." It's times like these I remember how good an actor Yukari is. The blushing, the giggling, it was almost like she was genuinely… actually is that really acting? When she finished, she said, "I was sleeping."
"Sleeping?"
"My looks come at a terribly high price. I must sleep for large portions of time in order to maintain my beauty."
"And the actual reason is?"
"I told you. I was sleeping," Yukari reiterated.
"Well, sure why not."
"You don't believe me." Yukari pouted with puppy-dog eyes… That's just surreal for some reason.
"Whatever."
"Hmph!" Yukari puffed her cheeks in response.
"So what did you need to talk about?"
"Oh I just wanted to talk." I stopped walking.
"Really? That's it?" Not completely out of my expectations of her, but still…
"Well sometimes I just like to talk, okay?" Yukari saying it in the manner you would expect as she twirled her umbrella. … I suppose that since I'm already here, and I know she has no intention of letting this be, I might as well talk.
"Do you always have that umbrella on you?" She has every time I see her. It's a topic I've had on my mind for a while.
"Not always, but I try." Yukari said confidently. It sounds like she's trying to impress me… which is weird because that's not usually something you try to impress others with.
"Okay, why?" Since she didn't say to end it there…
"I won't tell you, but you'll know one day," Yukari said warmly…
"That's an odd way to say none of your business."
"Oh it is your business, but just not now. I just want to let you know that I've treasured it ever since." Again, Yukari's tone was quite affectionate. The umbrella must mean a lot to her.
"Ever since what?"
"Oh, soon…" I have no idea what she's talking about, but it was clear just how much she loved it with the way she was eyeing it… Still Yukari was being cryptic, and for who knows why.
"Something tells me I'm not going to like this thing that's happening 'soon'."
"Oh I thought you had fun." Yukari quipped while chuckling to herself.
"When exactly did this happen?" I don't remember anything of the sort of meeting her before.
"Oh look, Alice's house is right there. I'll be sure to see your match with Marisa. And before I forget, don't forget to stop by that room on your way in. It's right past that corner if you remember." Yukari pointed to the corner of the house… which was where the Velvet Room entrance was. I know she just outright ignored me, but I think I can let that slide in light of this.
"How do you know about… and she's gone… I hate it when she does that." I really do. Existing between dream and reality, mind and matter, I suppose that it is connected to borders in a way, but it's still unnerving just how powerful she is. I better make sure never to be on her bad side. I know I've thought of this before, but repetition leads to registration in long term memory. Well her suggestion isn't a bad one. I suppose I can go in. I head to the back of the house to find that the door was there, as expected. I look around to make sure no one is watching, and open the door. A flash as always blinds me. Before I'm aware of it, I'm inside.
"Welcome, to the Velvet room." I see Igor has returned.
"Onii-chan!" Koishi's here too I see. I could also see that Theodore was standing patiently by Igor's side as Koishi rocketed toward me… like a rocket.
"Oopmh!" I automatically let out upon impact. Koishi had her arms wrapped around me as she looked up with her big green eyes.
"Onii-chan! I'm an apprentice now! An Apprentice!" Koishi was clearly excited, but I couldn't help but feel that something was off with her excitement, like it wasn't all there. Something was missing. Something was trying to come out. Besides that though, just what is she excited about?
"Um, what apprenticeship?" I asked.
"Since you have allowed Miss Koishi to stay here, we have made her an apprentice of the room, somewhat like my own station," Theodore elucidated for me. "She is now a resident of the Velvet Room until further notice." I turned to Igor hoping for more than what Theodore already said.
"As you most likely remember, this room is tied to your fate. Nothing that happens within happens without reason. This girl will help you along in some way; if not now, then perhaps someday. " Igor's answer was something I already knew, but the clarification was welcome. I could feel Koishi still hanging on to me. I turn to see her still staring up at me expectantly.
"Ne, Onii-chan! What are we going to play?" Koishi was like a child. She was honestly a bit too big to be actually called a child, but her demeanor and actions couldn't help but make me want to treat her as such.
"Well, I'm not sure we can play in this room, Koishi," I told her with care. Oh wait, I have an idea. "Here Koishi. Play with this until I'm finished alright. Once I'm done, I'm going to need it when I leave again." I give her the doll that I found at Marisa's house to play with.
"Ooooh, pretty," was Koishi's only reply before she took the doll in hand and begun to fly off in some other direction and play with it gleefully. I just don't get though, something still feels off. I should probably just take a seat though.
"Hmmm…" Igor hummed in what I assume is curiosity.
"What is it Igor?" I glanced at Theodore to find that he do was intrigued by his master's hum.
"An interesting item you have there; a doll." Igor noted.
"Is there something about it?" I asked him, wondering where he was going with this.
"A doll," Igor started "is a peculiar item. It has no will of its own, but instead takes on the roles given to it by others. Its personality, life, and will are but extensions of its owner." Igor raised his fingers on his cane and put them back down again as he let out his usual chuckle. "Perhaps it is more than perfect for you to have these then."
"Just what are you saying Igor?"
"Perhaps you will see for yourself in the coming days. I suggest you keep those dolls close. They may be mere facades of humans, but they are what you ascribe them to be. Now do you have any more business with us today?" Igor was as vague as he could be, but that was interesting.
"No, I just came to at some one's suggestion to check up on things."
"Then I suppose I bid you farewell." Igor made a small bow. Theodore followed suite. I turned to find Koishi still playing with the doll on the side of the room closer to the forest side. I walk over to her and kneel down to her eye level.
"Koishi, I have to go now. May I have my doll now?"
"Minerva! Her name's Minerva!" Koishi told me… I guess she named it… Minerva…
"Where did you hear that name Koishi?"
"I read it in some of Onee-chan's big books! I liked how it sounded so I named her with that name." Koishi's innocent smile was simply adorable as well as her reasoning for the name.
"I guess that's its name then: Minerva." It was simply chosen, but at the same time, simple isn't really bad thing. Simple and free thoughts like hers can lead to a lot of life's best things.
"Yay! Minerva! Minerva!" Some may call her foolish for just picking out a name at random; others may just call it youthful wisdom. It really doesn't matter either way. Just seeing that somebody in the is world still able to smile like this makes what I did worth it.
*CRACK*
Thou art I… And I am thou…
Thou hast tempered your bond…
Thou shalt have our blessing when thou chooses
To create a Persona of the Jester Arcana…
Sometimes I don't need that to show that I've grown closer to someone, but I suppose it helps in a way.
"May I have Minerva back, Koishi?" I ask her nicely.
"Okay!" Well that was unexpected. I expected her to put up more resistance to having to give away her new found, newly named friend. Something feels off about that. She hands the doll over to me with enthusiasm and I make sure to grip it firmly as I make my way to the exit.
"Bye, bye Onii-chan." Koishi waves energetically at me.
"I'll see you next time Koishi." I give my own wave as I look up towards the other members of the room. "Can you take care of her for me?" I ask the other two.
"She'll be taken care of with the utmost hospitality, Master Minato," Theodore assures me.
"I see, that's good." I close my eyes as I another flash of white light enters my field of vision.
Break
"So why exactly did you need to me find this second doll?" It was dinner time. Alice was sitting from across the table eating her portion.
"You used Beijing to find it didn't you?" Alice asked.
"I know that, use the doll to find the other. I did. I just fail to see how it relates to danmaku when you could have just given me more dolls to start with."
"Adversity breeds strength." Alice rebutted as she switched to taking a drink.
"I also know that."
"I also just needed to get it back from Marisa. I decided to just kill two birds with one stone." Apparently Alice pulled a… what was that American movie again… oh right, she just pulled a Mr. Miyagi on me.
"Well at least that makes a degree of sense, but why didn't you just tell me directly?"
"Did I need to? You seemed to do fine regardless. If I don't need to do it, I won't." Okay she's got a point there, but-
"Would it be too much to ask for more clarification next time?"
"If you insist, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you completely straight out." Alice took another few bites of her salad then continued on. "You'll use that doll along with a few others to help bolster the number of your shots. Now that you've had some experience using the doll in different ways you're now more than likely proficient at using a single doll. Training will now focus on using multiple dolls as well as a few mock battles. Is that fine?" Alice asked in a somewhat condescending tone.
"It's fine," I said in response.
"Good, for now rest up. Going to Marisa's was probably a tiring experience." Alice said it in a tone that indicated that she knew personally what it was like.
"Why was the doll there in the first place?" It's weird for it to just be there for no particular reason.
"You can figure it out." I'm going to assume the same reason she gave me a doll… can't say that it isn't useful, but it's quite an invasion of privacy. "Marisa tends to get on my nerves at times. Knowing when she's coming to bother me is something I need to be aware of. Besides, it would be a waste of precious resources if I had dolls scattered all over the place when I don't need them to be." Alice picked up her finished plates and began to walk over to the kitchen. "A letter arrived for you by the way, someone left it on the porch earlier. I put it in your room. Do what you will with it." And like that Alice returned to her room. It's a bit lonely how we barely interact outside of training, but she doesn't seem like the type to just simply do things for the fun of it to begin with. Though, who could have sent me a letter? I make my way to my room with Minerva in hand and open the door. It was a tad dark though.
"There it is." The letter was sitting on the desk. It was in a simple white envelope, to which I'm surprised even exists here. I open the letter from… Mima!?
"Dear Minato,
I heard about your duel with Marisa and I think you'll need this.
You can thank me next time we meet.
Mima."
Not even sincerely at the end of the letter. I guess she tries in her own way to be evil, but need what though? Oh! … well this is nice. I'll save this for later… but that still leaves one more thing for today. I look outside the window. It's dark out, but I don't see a moon yet. My MP3 says it's still only about 8 or so; 4 more hours until midnight.
Break
As expected, the dark hour came at 12 sharp. The house was now an eerie green as it was last night. There's only one place to go now: Tartarus. After making sure everything I needed is on me… okay just checking for my evoker one more time… I make my way out of the house and see the tower looming ever so ominously in the distance. How long has it been since I last went inside? It was a hell hole, that's for sure. Endless stairs, dead ends every half second, death at every turn, hell death would actually show up if you took too long. I can't believe that we even were able to get to the top in time for 'The Fall'.
I start my ascent into the skies to find that the world was enveloped in green from horizon to horizon. The lake was… I suppose a description wouldn't be a good thing to contemplate considering what I'm seeing. The moon was simply massive tonight, though it luckily was not full. It's yellowish glow was the only light in this forsaken world. I suppose that's how it's always been though. The tower is the most important thing right now. Okay it's that way. Just a straight shot. I fly over to the tower from where I was. It was strange really. No birds, no sounds. All was quiet. They say that nothing is scariest and I guess this is what they meant. It's an empty world with nothing but the smell and look of death. The tower became bigger and bigger as I approached it. I almost forgot how big this thing could be.
I make it to the tower only to find that there are no windows and entrances visible from where I was. The only ways in I guess are from either the top or the bottom. The top is farther away and also much more dangerous to use as an entrance. I don't know if the rest of the tower is even unlocked from up there. The safest bet would be to enter from the lower entrance and see what's there. I'll check the transporter and also if the other things like the clock is there too. I can then enter from the lowest floor to see just how strong the tower is or if there's been any changes.
A plan now in mind, I make my way downwards towards the ground. It seems that the tower is in the middle of a clearing… is that… someone's there! There's someone standing there in front of the entrance. She's just standing there, staring at the door. I land down onto the ground behind her next to the trees in the clearing. It seems I'm not the only one who can move around at this hidden time. In front of me is… It's the maid from my dream the other night!
"Hello?" I call to her, and- *thunk* - that knife wasn't there in the trunk a second ago. "Um… Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The maid was staring at me with dead cold eyes that had blood red irises. She had several knives tucked between her fingers, ready to throw at a moment's notice. Never before have I seen so many knives ready to be thrown on a single person since I played that arcade game based on some anime about a bizarre adventure. [Change] Okay immune to physical attacks. She and stood there for a few seconds before, for some reason, the knives disappeared.
"Oh I'm sorry. I thought you were one of those black goo monsters." Black goo monsters? Shadows? I'm not surprised, but damn.
"That's fine. It's also sort of my fault for coming up from behind." The maid takes a bow after I say my piece and begins to hold her hands in front of her.
"I am Sakuya Izayoi, head maid of the Scarlet Devil mansion." Before I could say anything she cuts me off with, "And you're Minato Arisato, correct? My master has been very interested in you ever since the last Hakurei Flower-viewing. I'm very sorry for attacking you earlier."Sakuya takes another bow.
"I said it's fine Izayoi-san." At least now it will be if she throws another one my way. "Can you tell me what you're doing here?" I'd like to know how she's even moving around in the first place, but I better hide my cards until the time's right.
"Oh this? I thought since you came here as well that you'd know. It's another incident of course!" She seemed quite excited… wait what?
"An incident? This?" Tartarus, an incident in Gensokyo. Who would have thought?
"I'm sure Reimu and Marisa will be on their way soon." Unless they have Personas, I don't think so. "I must solve this incident before they do."
"And why's that?" Why wouldn't they want to work together for this kind of thing?
"Because it's more fun that way." I can't argue with that, and by that I mean it sounds so dumb and basic that any argument I could make would be like playing chess with a pigeon. You can play as strategically all you want, but the pigeons just going to walk all over the board, knock over the pieces, strut its stuff, and poop like it's the mothe-"Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to my exploration as time is short. This time only lasts for an hour according to Patchouli's calculations." Well whoever did these calculations, they did a pretty good job, but still-
"It's too dangerous to go in there, especially alone." Unless you're me, in which case it's Armageddon 24/7, 365.
"Oh? It's as if you've been inside before." The maid stated mockingly. I think she's looking down on me.
"I have," I stated in all seriousness. It seems that I was right about her having looked down on me as she chortled at my statement as soon as I made it.
"I suppose it would be scary for a novice to venture forth." A novice, huh? Well I can't blame her for thinking that. All she's most likely seen was my battle with Cirno, and if Alice's own match against the fairy is any indication, I was pretty crap during that duel. "Do no fret; I've been at this for enough of a time."
"Sorry, but not going to happen. That towers just going to chew you up and not even leave a single bone left. No matter how prepared you think you are, that tower will throw something that will completely catch you off guard and kill you. I should know. It's happened to me countless times during my treks up the tower."
"I'll take note of that. I've been humbled before, but I doubt this will be too much trouble if I'm careful." She's still not really getting, and without any evidence to back my claim, she honestly doesn't have any reason to take my word for it to begin with. I guess I'll just do this then.
"Then how about I come with you up the tower? Two is better than one anyways, and we might be able to help each other," I ask her. I can use that to make sure she doesn't get way in over her head, though the chances of her accepting are slim.
"Well, as long as you don't get in the way, I suppose it's fine. It will also make a good story to tell my master later." Well that was pretty easy to do. I was thinking that she would just scoff at me, but it seems she's just that confident in herself apparently.
"Ugh, finally out of that damn forest." Sakuya and I turn back to see something else come from the woods. I raise my evoker to ready an attack while the maid somehow gats a gaggle of knives ready from out of nowhere. "It's too bad I can't just burn it." The person who came out of the forest was… the other girl from my dream. The white haired one from the Yakitori stand! "Huh? What are you lookin' at?"
"Um… sorry, just surprised," I told our new friend.
"Oh, it's just the fiery immortal." Immortal? Okay, Gensokyo, you still bring something new to the table every day.
"And it's just the maid from that fancy mansion on the lakeside." It seems this one has a chip on her shoulder.
"Um… I'm-"
"Minato Arisato, there isn't a single person who hasn't heard of you in the village. Heard you blew up the shrine." Does everyone in this place know who I am? Dammit Yukari!
"It was sort of an accident. By the way, what's your name?" I ask.
"It doesn't really matter to you, so why are you asking?" She wasn't really hostile with her tone, but it was definite that she found it annoying. There was also hints of a defensive sound in her voice, though if she's immortal…
"She is Fujiwara no Mokou. The immortal who lives in the human village and runs a yakitori stand," Sakuya was the one to elucidate for me who Mokou was.
"Um, thanks Izayoi –san."
"My pleasure, well if this is all; shall we begin our journey into the tower?" Sakuya asked as she began to walk towards the tower, ignoring the apparent immortal that had just shown up.
"Oi, I'm here for the tower too!" Mokou cried.
"I'm sorry, but Minato-san and I got here first. Come back later." Sakuya said to shut Mokou down.
"Well, then how about a duel to see who goes in?" Mokou… holy crap. Fire simply began to ignite around her. That's some pretty impressive fire magic with how little effort or movement she put in to conjure it. She didn't budge an inch and it simply started, but I don't know if we have time for a duel.
"I see. Well there's enough time. I suppose that dueling you will be a good warm up before going in." This is bad. You need all the strength you can get when going in to Tartarus. Going in halfcocked is a sure fire way to get killed. I need to stop this and get things moving before too much time is wasted.
"Look!" I yelled, grabbing their attention in the process. "How about we just go in all together? Izayoi-san and I are already poised to go in as a team. Why don't we all just get along and go in?" I pose to them. "And besides, with a tower as tall as this, the more people around to share the load of the trek, the better, especially with how many monsters are inside that will rip you apart at a moment's notice. Also, Izayoi-san, you said that this time only lasts for an hour, so any time wasted is bad, no matter how small it is." I can't let them know how much I know of this place without knowledge of what their intentions are. I should play the fool for a bit.
"So what, I can just roast whatever gets in my way." Oh boy that's going to lead to trouble. One element wonders… Mokou was still unconvinced. Sakuya on the other hand seemed to be contemplating what I said to a greater degree than her counterpart.
"Well, why not just work with us until you're sick of it? We'll let you leave whenever you want, and besides, this is one tall tower." Mokou stood there and stared at us, still burning, and then after a couple of seconds made a sigh that also put out her own flames.
"Fine. Let's just get this over with. I just came here to check out this tower, and if this gets the job done faster, then it's fine." Yes!
"Thank you Fujiwara-san!" A party of three… just like when I first started.
"Just call me Mokou, no honorifics." Mokou said as she put her hands in her pockets.
"Alright Mokou." I said to confirm it for her.
"Well now that a party has been established and with nothing else in the way, shall we begin our trek up this mystery tower?" Sakuya asked as she held hand out as if presenting the tower that was already there.
"Yeah, sure." Mokou confirmed dismissively as she begins to walk towards the entrance in step with Sakuya.
"Well let's begin, then." Sakuya too makes her way over to the door. I follow suite and as we stand right in front of it, she turns to me. "Shall I let you do the honors of beginning this incident resolution?" She asks.
"I guess I shall." I walk up to the tower's door that I haven't seen in so long, a tower that holds much of my past, a tower where… it was all about to end. Now with new allies, and a new start, I open the door once more to the underworld.
Author's note: Well that was a chapter. Anyways, I've finally broken 100k words… it's at times like this I realize my life is actually pretty sad in some regards, but I suppose balance. Over the course of those 100k words, I've found that Microsoft Word's ability to detect errors is pretty lacking. It catches the most glaring ones, but things like the 'it's' in the next few lines of these notes is registered as a green error and it just bothers me. Granted I just tend to ignore stuff like that, but the worst ones are the ones that spell check doesn't catch. It's like finding logic errors in code. The computer thinks it's (this was the one I was talking about) fine, but you know for a fact something is wrong and there isn't even the slightest hint as to what it is you need to find.
Enough about that though, I hope I haven't dropped too many plot hints in this chapter, as well as making sure this chapter wouldn't labeled as pure filler as I build up to later stuff. As always, thanks for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it and I also hope that you'll tell me of anything I'm lacking in a review. I keep telling you people I can't improve otherwise. Only two more chapters of this arc I believe, if my plan survives contact with the enemy.
Oh yeah, trivia time, I was originally going to name the chapters of this arc after the lyrics from the Rocky Theme, because honestly, who doesn't like a good Rocky movie? It's so Hard Now, Working hard now, Getting strong now, Gonna Fly now. But I was worried about copyrights, so the idea was nixed. Instead… a Zelda reference I guess in honor of my frustrations of trying to get the Noble sword in Oracle of Seasons since that was what I was playing at the start of my writing of this chapter. Well that and Black-Rock Shooter. The trick is Winter, Autumn, Spring, Summer, left every time between season changes. Essentially from coldest to hottest season.
Well, I hope I see you soon. Thanks for the read, and review if you find something wrong.
And have a nice day.